The midland journal., 1887-11-18
A Farmers Trust

"a l. GA AAOLo l. L 0Cu
Everything is going into trusts ex-
cept farming. Suppose we "trust"
farming too. The trusts that have been
organized mean to charge us farmers a
higher price for everything we use.
Salt will be higher, coal is higher,
machinery is higher, sugar goes up,
everything costs or is to cost price
that is much higher than the laws to
supply and demand warrant, simply
because there is combination under the
style of trusts. We must pay big prices
for what we buy, and get small prices
for what we sell. How can we main.
tain ourselves under that kind of an :
arrangement? There is nothing left
for us to do but to organize trust, and
we can organize one, if we choose. that
will knock all other trusts silly. How
shall we do it, Just organize. Let
there be an Alliance formed in every
district. Let the work go rapidly for
ward until every farmer in the land is
enrolled under the Alliance banner.
Then let the National Organization is.
sue from time to time the advice to
withhold this crop or that crop from
the market few days, or to cease pur.
chasing this article or that, and let the
advice be strictly followed. There is
not an industry in the country that
could not be brought down on its knees
in short order if such ''trust" was in
operation. The barbed wire monopoly
could be bursted; the railroad monopoly
could be twisted into decency; grasping
capital could be taught solid lesson
that it would never forget, and while
all this was being done, the excellent
advice could frequently be given to
withhold the solid farmer vote from this
candidate OR that, because he was not
worthy Of confidence. and if such advice
were followed, there would be an end
at once and forever of all the evils un-
der which we suffer. Indeed the ballot
box is to be the chief reliance of the
farmers Crust" and the sooner we Or
ganize the trust, the sooner we shall be
able to utilize the ballot box for our
own and the general good.
Seriously great deal might be done
in the way of protecting ourselves by
withholding our products from the mar
ket and Withholding our patronage from
monopolies for season, if we were we'll
organized. The thing is in measure
practical. 1t is just as practicable for
us to hold our products, or to limit the
production of certain crop, as it is
for the coal barons to limit the output
of coal. All we need is organization
and will to accomplish our purpose,
even if it requires some temporary sac
rifce. There are many organizations
in the land that extend over the whole
country, and are represented in almost
every hamlet. Orders are frequently
issued from the headquarters of these
organizations, and in a weeks time
every lodge in the country is working
in accordance with such orders. The
Alliance can do likewise if farmers
will go into it, and unite their efforts
for the accomplishment of common
purpose. But as we have said many
times, there is absolutely nothing neces-
sary to do, but to organize. The very
moment that other industries and the
politicians found that the farmers were
closely organized, they would say like
the coon in the tree, Don't shoot, we
will come down. We have either got
to organize "trust" or else we must
burst the other trusts Western Rural.